A set of exercises and breathing exercises for heart failure

A condition called heart failure is a very dangerous complication of a number of diseases, such as: heart defects, heart infections, heart ischemia, hereditary changes, bad habits (alcohol, smoking), diabetes and more.

Already about 30 million people in the world suffer from this insidious disease. In Russia, 5 million people are officially registered as patients with heart failure, but the real number of cases is approaching 9 million.

The risk group includes people of early retirement age, 55-60 years old, of both sexes. Environmental degradation, harmful production, stress - all these factors have led to a rapid increase in the number of cases.

Groups of physical exercises

With due attention and proper care, the quality of life of a person prone to such a condition is significantly increased, and the risk of mortality is significantly reduced.

Moderate physical activity can only help if approved by your doctor and exercise outside of the flare-up period. Starting with an increase in general tone and ending with an improvement in blood circulation, physical culture has a positive effect on the body.

All exercises can be divided into three groups:

1. Warm up exercises. This includes a warm-up that will help warm up and make muscles, tendons, ligaments more elastic, which will save you injuries and sprains in the future. The most suitable sets of exercises can be considered yoga or stretching, everything that is aimed at increasing flexibility.
2. Aerobic exercise. This type of exercise, aimed at improving the blood supply to the body and strengthening the cardiovascular system, includes Nordic walking, exercise in the fresh air, swimming, jogging, skiing.
3. Strength exercises. Aimed at the development of muscles through overstrain caused by their sharp contractions. Only a doctor can prescribe strength exercises, as they often cause a deterioration in well-being in heart failure.

As you can see, there are many different types of exercise that are suitable for people with heart failure.

The choice of an exercise therapy complex should be based on the severity of the disease, but in any case, you need to start with a gradual, accurate introduction of physical education into life.

Check with the clinic for medically supervised programs for people with heart disease. It will be better if you are engaged in a company, at the same time it will increase your social activity.

Preparing for a workout

Before starting each workout, be sure to spend 5-10 minutes warming up. It will help to warm up and make muscles, tendons and ligaments more elastic, which will further protect you from injuries and sprains. The load on the heart during exercises without warming up will be many times higher, which can provoke dizziness, a sharp increase in pressure and fainting.

• hand rotation;
• body tilts forward, sideways and back;
• lifting the knees to the chest;
• light squats with a straight back;
• spreading legs and arms to the sides.

To begin with, you should try light exercises with stretching elements, gradually adding a load within reasonable limits.

It is better to train outdoors or in a park at any time of the year or to provide constant access to fresh oxygen to the training room; in no case do not continue classes if you feel unwell, shortness of breath has begun or your heart rate has increased!

During training, you must carefully monitor the intensity of the heartbeat and prevent shortness of breath. In order for you to be able to control your heart rate, you should purchase a special electronic heart rate monitor.

Breathing exercises

At the stage of acquaintance with gymnastics for heart failure, it is best to pay attention to breathing exercises. These simple but powerful exercises can be done anywhere, at home or at work, but the best result will be achieved in the fresh air.

Due to the enrichment of blood with oxygen and measured breathing, the entire cardiovascular system will receive a full workout. In addition, a pleasant bonus from breathing exercises will be getting rid of feelings of anxiety and normalizing the functioning of the nervous system as a whole.

First you need to remember how to breathe not with your chest, but with your stomach. Diaphragmatic breathing is the basis of all sets of exercises.

Of the oriental techniques, it is worth paying attention to the Jianfei technique. It includes three exercises: "Wave", "Lotus" and "Frog"

• lie on your back, legs bent at the knees, feet firmly pressed to the floor;
• hands on chest and stomach. Inhale - chest expands, stomach retracts. Exhale - lower the chest, inflate the stomach as much as possible;
• take breaths and exhalations at a measured pace with the same intensity 40 times.

Exercise "Frog":

• sit on a chair, the lower leg and thigh form a right or smaller angle, the knees are spread apart to the width of the shoulders;
• relax before starting the exercise, think positive;
• we put our elbows on our knees, men clench their right hand into a fist, put their left hand on top of the fist, women do the opposite. The head is lowered to the stop with the forehead in a fist;
• inhale through the nose through the belly. Exhale through the mouth easily and smoothly;
• inhale, hold your breath for 2-3 seconds, take another breath and gradually exhale;
• the exercise is done for about 15-20 minutes three times a day.

• performed in the “lotus” position: on the floor, the feet are placed on the thigh, the back is straight, the hands are placed on the knees;
• 5 minutes, inhalations and exhalations alternate at a normal pace;
• 5 minutes alternate natural inhalation with a deep even exhalation;
• 10 minutes there is an alternation of inhalations and exhalations in a natural rhythm for you.

• performed in the morning on an empty stomach, duration 15 minutes;
• exhale, the stomach is drawn in;
• inhale with effort, the stomach is protruded;
• quick exhalation with effort;
• holding the breath for 10 seconds, the stomach is drawn in;
• repeat the exercise from the beginning.

General exercise complex for chronic heart failure

There are three stages of heart failure in chronic form:

• the first, manifests itself with significant physical exertion in the form of respiratory failure, mild arrhythmias;
• second, hemodynamic disturbances appear, edema of the lower extremities occurs, liver enlargement is possible, cyanosis, shortness of breath and palpitations increase;
• the third stage is dystrophic, which means decompensation and a severe irreversible stage of changes in the functioning of internal organs, malfunctions of the endocrine system and extensive edema.

This complex is suitable for the first and second stages of insufficiency, while for the third, any physical activity is absolutely contraindicated.

1. Starting position: stretch your arms forward with palms down. Sharply clench your hands into fists and unclench them, spreading your fingers to the sides. Repeat 8-10 times.
2. Starting position: put your hands behind your head, legs should be spread shoulder-width apart. Rise on your toes, turning your torso to the right, spread your arms to the sides, then return to the starting position and repeat the same on the other side. Repeat 5 times.
3. Starting position: stretch your arms forward with palms up. Stand on your toes, gradually raising your hands behind your head, up, to the sides and return to the starting position. Repeat 5 times.
4. Starting position: feet shoulder width apart, hands on the waist. Perform forward bends, alternately spreading your arms in different directions with a return to the original. Repeat 5 times.
5. Starting position: bring your heels together, toes to the side, arms lowered without tension. We pull our hands forward, bend the right leg, return to the starting position, repeat with the left leg. Repeat 5 times.

Loads must be strictly dosed, step by step, you can increase the number of exercises performed.

Training of the heart and blood vessels according to Amosov

Nikolai Mikhailovich Amosov was an innovator in the field of cardiology and thoracic surgery and the author of numerous works in the field of gerontology, as well as the method of "restrictions and loads".

It was Amosov who realized the need to train the cardiovascular system. He argued that with an increase in the force of contraction of the heart and an acceleration of the rhythm of the heartbeat, the heart trains.

1. From a standing position, bend over and touch the floor with your palms. Bend your head back and forth in time with the body.
2. Bends the spine from side to side. In this case, one palm goes down the body below the knee (as far as possible), and the second goes to the armpit. The head tilts from right to left.
3. Nodding the head back and forth, while hands are alternately thrown behind the back, touching the opposite shoulder blade.
4. Clutching the fingers into the lock on the chest, turning the torso from the right side to the left in a big way, elbows to the sides, reinforce rotations, the head turns along with the body.
5. From a standing position, alternately raise bent legs to the stomach with maximum effort.
6. Fix your feet under a closet or bed and bend back and forth while sitting on a stool.
7. Holding on to the back of a chair, squat deeply.
8. Push-ups from the bed or sofa.
9. Jumps in place alternately on one or the other leg.

Prevention of heart failure

It will take a lot of effort to prevent the occurrence of this terrible complication. It is necessary to change the lifestyle to a more active, saturated with moderate physical activity. Walk more often and ventilate the rooms in which you are.

A huge role in the prevention of heart failure is played by the refusal to take alcohol and tobacco.

1. Passive lifestyle without movement.
2. Factors causing stress.
3. Excessive consumption of tea, coffee, energy drinks.

The diet is fractional, food should be taken often, but little by little. Daily salt intake cannot exceed the volume of one teaspoon, and 1.5 liters of liquid. The diet should be balanced in terms of the content of vitamins and minerals, you will have to eliminate the deficiency of potassium, magnesium and zinc. Avoid foods that are high in cholesterol.